


Gingerbread Kisses

by irrationalgame



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Christmas, Cute, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-13
Updated: 2013-12-13
Packaged: 2018-01-04 12:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irrationalgame/pseuds/irrationalgame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A plate of unguarded gingerbread leads to an unexpected exchange in the kitchen of Downton.</p><p>A very fluffy and silly Xmas ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gingerbread Kisses

The smell of gingerbread wafted through the servants’ hall, drawing out both Thomas and Jimmy from opposite ends and luring them into the kitchen. Mrs Patmore had rather foolishly left a plate of warm gingerbread, cut into various festive shapes, on the kitchen counter. The cook, Daisy and the kitchen maids were all absent; the gingerbread unguarded.

Thomas and Jimmy eyed each other and the gingerbread nervously, neither wanting to make a move. Jimmy cracked first.

"I just want a taste," Jimmy started, "only a bite."

"They wouldn’t miss one piece, would they?" Thomas added, crossing the room and taking a tree-shaped biscuit from the pile. With a furtive glance around the kitchen Thomas nibbled the edge of the gingerbread. Jimmy’s mouth dropped open; he wasn’t sure what looked more delicious, Thomas eating the golden morsel or the biscuit itself.

"Mmmmm," Thomas moaned, "it’s so good."

"Oi," Jimmy frowned, snapping out of his reverie, "don’t eat it all." He plucked the half-eaten gingerbread from Thomas’s hand and ate the still-warm remnants in one bite. It was glorious; soft and crumbly, gently spiced and oh-so-sweet. "That’s the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth," Jimmy mumbled around a mouthful.

"You’ve obviously led a sheltered life then," Thomas grinned and Jimmy laughed, spraying gingery crumbs.

"D’ya think we could get away with eating another one?" Jimmy stared longingly at the plate, a snowman-shaped biscuit catching his eye. He snatched it up and devoured it before Thomas could argue.

"Hey!" Thomas grabbed the plate and pulled it protectively against his chest. "You can’t just take a whole one, that’s not _fair_.”

"I can’t help it," Jimmy said, licking his lips, "it’s irresistible." He held his hands out, a pleading expression on his face; "Just one more, _please_?”

"No," Thomas shook his head, "you’ve had enough." And he ate a small star of gingerbread whole, as if to prove he was serious.

"Ok," Jimmy said, poker-faced, "I understand." He feigned disinterest and pretended to turn away before spinning back and snatching the plate from Thomas’s hands. "Aha!" He exclaimed, "s’all mine now!"

"You little thief!" Thomas scolded, straightening his livery.

"At least I only steal biscuits," Jimmy poked out his tongue childishly, "not wine. Or kisses."

At that the under-butler saw red and charged at Jimmy - the footman preempted the attack and dashed around the kitchen, putting the table between himself and Thomas.

"Too slow!" Jimmy smirked, gobbling up another piece, "Are you getting old, Mr Barrow?"

Thomas narrowed his pale eyes, his cheeks red. “Give. Me. The. Gingerbread.” He commanded in his most intimidating under-butler tone.

"Nope," Jimmy grinned, "make me."

Thomas lunged over the table and caught Jimmy by the lapels of his livery - Jimmy fought back, struggling and wriggling, holding the plate of ill-gotten biscuits over his head, but he couldn’t escape Thomas’s unexpectedly strong grip. In a panic Jimmy did the only thing he knew would shock Thomas into inaction - he bent down and kissed him roughly on his red lips. The under butler stilled, his hands going slack, his body prone on the kitchen table. Jimmy had only meant for it to be a quick peck, a means to escape, but he found Thomas’s lips more irresistible than the gingerbread; he dropped the plate and it clattered to the floor, spilling the Christmassy biscuits all over the tiles. And still Jimmy found himself unable to stop, instead letting his lips work fervidly against the other man’s, his hands tangled in Thomas’s pomaded hair; he tasted like cigarettes and a hint of spice from the gingerbread.

"Thomas," Jimmy said softly, finally releasing the under-butler from the kiss, "I…I…" For once Jimmy was lost for words. Thomas managed to clamber off the table and right himself onto shaky legs. His skin was singing where Jimmy had touched him, his lips tingling and bee-stung.

"Jimmy," he whispered, overwhelmed emotion, unsure how the previous events had culminated in this moment.

"Me biscuits!" Mrs Patmore bewailed, bustling into the kitchen, "What happened to me biscuits?!"

"I, err," Jimmy started, flustered, his lips red and bruised, his livery in disarray.

"I’m afraid I dropped the plate Mrs Patmore," Thomas interrupted cooly, "my hand’s playing me up in this awful cold weather, and it just slipped out of my grasp." Thomas flexed his gloved hand with a convincing grimace.

"Oh well," Mrs Patmore shook her head, her frizzy ginger hair bouncing as she did, "accidents happen I suppose. But I don’t know what you two were doing in my kitchen in the first place!"

"Just tryin’ to get warm," Jimmy smiled, his eyes on Thomas’s, "an’ it worked." The under-butler grinned knowingly, his head bobbed downwards, abashed. Mrs Patmore seemed to catch the look between them, but she simply smiled and said nothing more.

"Care to join me for a smoke Jimmy?" Thomas gestured towards the back door. Jimmy nodded, for once eager to go out in the freezing cold to choke on a cigarette. Outside in the icy courtyard the loaded silence stretched between them.

"Jimmy, I…" Thomas shrugged, clearly dumbfounded. He looked so hopeful, yet so full of self-doubt, so world-worn and browbeaten; but his grey eyes were soft and lovely and young when they looked at Jimmy, and it took the footman’s breath away. He stepped in to the under-butler and placed a hand on his handsome, hollowed cheek, before leaning up to tentatively kiss his slightly-open lips. It was all the encouragement Thomas needed - he wrapped his arms around Jimmy and kissed him deeply, his tongue slipping past Jimmy’s lips. The footman moaned; he’d never been kissed like _that_ before.

"Better than all the gingerbread in the world," Thomas sighed against Jimmy’s mouth, his eyes glassy. His body was trembling slightly, nerves and excitement cracking his usually cool exterior. Thomas decided if this was a dream he never wanted to wake up - if it was reality, he never needed to dream again. Jimmy - _his beautiful Jimmy_ \- was here, kissing him and holding him and maybe even _loving_ him.

"I’m sorry," Jimmy replied, clutching at Thomas’s jacket, "sorry that I made you wait. I - I didn’t know what I was about. But I do now." Thomas nodded and a Jimmy let himself be drawn into an embrace; Thomas was warm, his arms strong, his chest broad. Jimmy imagined falling asleep in Thomas’s arms, cradled against that chest, and was overwhelmed by his sudden and all-encompassing love for the man. They stood, enveloped in each other’s arms, as the first snow of winter began to fall on the Abbey.

"I’d have waited forever, Jimmy," Thomas sighed happily. "This might be the best Christmas ever."

"An’ just think," Jimmy said, "we’ve Mrs Patmore’s cooking to thank for it."

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who's waiting for me to update my many, many ongoing fics - I am doing it! I've had a bit of writers block but I'm determined to get through it.


End file.
